[StBernard] Home Depot To Return and More

[Westley Annis]

Home Depot To Return and More 

January 13 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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Home Depot and C and C Drugs indicate they will return to parish; FEMA
trailers have topped 1,000 at parish residences; an outlet has opened for
Randazzo’s of Chalmette King Cakes


Two types of businesses deemed important to the recovery of St. Bernard
Parish, a pharmacy and a construction materials company, have indicated they
are close to reopening, parish officials said.

The Home Depot store,  8601 West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette, has indicated
it could reopen in 6-8 weeks in its former location, officials said, while C
and C Drugs, 7540 West Judge Perez Drive, Arabi, intends to open soon but
not in its previous location.

Officials of Home Depot weren’t available for elaboration on Friday.

Jim Vallee, owner of C and C Drugs, said he is working to open shortly but
didn’t give a specific date.

Parish Coroner Dr. Bryan Bertucci said a pharmacy “is essential to medical
care in the parish.’’ He added, “You need something locally’’ because so
many chronic care patients who need multiple prescription refills don’t have
the means of transportation to regularly go to other parishes.


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The number of trailers provided at private residences in St. Bernard by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency has topped 1,000, but there are still
more than 5,000 requests in the system, parish officials said Friday.

Parish President Henry “Junior’’ Rodriguez has criticized FEMA in the past
for moving too slow in getting the needed trailers to the parish,

Contractors delivering the trailers for FEMA recently said that everyone
currently in the system who has a suitable site available should receive
their trailer in about a month.


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King Cakes made by Randazzo’s of Chalmette are being sold at 600 East Judge
Perez Drive in a trailer operated by the Olive Branch Emporium Café & Gifts.
The Olive Branch is working toward reopening its business in the old Wedding
Connection building at the same address, Call (504) 259-5056 or 1(985)
661-8511.